The Dolphins lead the league in pre-snap penalties with 33, according to nflpenalties.com. They’re second in the league with 98 total penalties (and second with 84 accepted).

While this is drawing Adam Gase’s notice of late, it’s not like it’s a new development. The Dolphins were second in the league in penalties in 2016 with 131 penalties (158 flags total) — and tied for sixth in pre-snap penalties (46), too. The difference is they were winning games despite that.

So who are the biggest culprits this year? Here’s the list:

* Tunsil — eight of his team-high 10 penalties are pre-snap — including seven false starts and one illegal formation. That accounts for 24 percent of the team’s issues.

* Davon Godchaux — five of his seven penalties are pre-snap — including two neutral-zone infraction, two offsides and one encroachment. That’s 16 percent of the Dolphins’ problem. In other words, Tunsil and Godchaux account for 40 percent — approaching half of the pre-snap penalty problem on the team.

The Dolphins ranked 28th in 2016 in committing penalties. Very UN-Shulalike.

Please tell me that we aren't going to rebuild again with a new coach. From what I see, Gase's stubbornness and unwilling to figure out how to get Ajayi's brain in the game is going to be his downfall.

The Dolphins ranked 28th in 2016 in committing penalties. Very UN-Shulalike.

Please tell me that we aren't going to rebuild again with a new coach. From what I see, Gase's stubbornness and unwilling to figure out how to get Ajayi's brain in the game is going to be his downfall.

I don't think so... I'll give him a pass on that one.

I think Gase is the guy..He wants his players like any good coach.Apparently Ajayi wasn't one..

Running backs are a dime a dozen and the team may actually be more versatile without him... I think you are gonna see more players that are distractions or not team 1 St guys gone..

Seen Billycheat/Satan Parcells do it a million times..It does work if you can get guys to buy into the system. The Patriots defense is a bunch of nobody's this year..

Great coaches get great qb's.

As far as penalties..Gase cleaned that up last year..The pre snap stuff needs to stop.. I think Gase don't mind the aggressive stuff within reason..Just his style.

Please tell me that we aren't going to rebuild again with a new coach. From what I see, Gase's stubbornness and unwilling to figure out how to get Ajayi's brain in the game is going to be his downfall.

I certainly hope we do not go that route.

Let Gase continue to make changes, even if that means moving away from what we conceive of the good players. Let them draft and bring in FA's, give it time to settle and get going.

Just because we have some good players really doesn't make a difference, we have had HOF players on 1 win teams...

The reality is Gase is in season two and has two back up caliber QB's running an offense designed for someone much more talented and mobile, also behind a poor offensive line. Add in he had a primadonna RB that had more than half of his seasons yards in 3 games last year, mixed with the injuries and distractions with the LB's, 2 young CB's etc...

Plenty of excuses to go around as to why this team is the way it is. Not as simple as the QB sucking, or the RB being traded.

Protection plan: One area where the Dolphins have made major progress in recent weeks has been the pass protection. Over the past three games, the Dolphins have allowed only two sacks, one against the Oakland Raiders and one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Dolphins did not allow a sack against the Carolina Panthers, who are ranked fourth in the NFL in sacks per opponent pass attempt. Thanks to their recent efforts, the Dolphins are now seventh in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed per pass attempt.

Again, the lack of quality guards is causing all kinds of problems for this team.

Armando Salguero wrote:

But here’s my problem … The team moved Laremy Tunsil from guard to left tackle and knowing that their second-year player and first-year starting left tackle was still young and inexperienced, they undervalued the need to help him by teaming him up with an excellent guard.

The Dolphins actually undervalued guards, period. They didn’t want to pay for the position. And they didn’t use a premium draft pick for the position, either.

The result of what the Dolphins did? Tunsil, a young and unestablished NFL left tackle, hasn’t had a quality veteran presence next to him to guide him as Albert did last year. And so the left side of the Miami offensive line, expected to be a strength, has not been.

Let Gase continue to make changes, even if that means moving away from what we conceive of the good players. Let them draft and bring in FA's, give it time to settle and get going.

Just because we have some good players really doesn't make a difference, we have had HOF players on 1 win teams...

The reality is Gase is in season two and has two back up caliber QB's running an offense designed for someone much more talented and mobile, also behind a poor offensive line. Add in he had a primadonna RB that had more than half of his seasons yards in 3 games last year, mixed with the injuries and distractions with the LB's, 2 young CB's etc...

Plenty of excuses to go around as to why this team is the way it is. Not as simple as the QB sucking, or the RB being traded.